The role of individual faculty in community service at institutions of higher education has been less studied due to its association with personal volunteer work. This paper suggests that such service should be viewed as an integral part of engagement, particularly when it contributes to positive change and problem resolution in urban communities.…

Undergraduate students (N = 40) responded positively to a semantic differential scale after experiencing a "direct practice" service learning group work course. Qualitative data documented student's perceptions of increased skill levels relating to self-efficacy--understood as positively influencing mastery of skills and performance…

This paper provides the results of a survey sent to all thirty-two CUMU institutions that have received the Carnegie recognition and specifically examines a) reasons for applying for the elective classification; b) level of pride instilled in campuses; and c) level of impact on institutional identity and culture, institutional commitment,…

This article, "Confidence and Preparedness to Teach" is a quantitative study that examines the level of preparedness for the classroom of fifty-seven student teachers. The student teachers, their cooperating teachers, and the professor-in-residence who monitored the placement completed a twenty-four item survey that rated the prospective…

In 2009, IUPUI launched the Common Theme Project, designed to "promote campus unity, conversation, and collaboration on timely issues that connect IUPUI to central Indiana and the world." This paper briefly discusses the evolution of the Common Theme Project, from its roots as a freshman common reader to the current campus focus on…

Hotel Louisville is owned and operated by Wayside Christian Mission and is staffed by screened and vetted Wayside resident clients. This unique situation, along with the University of Louisville (UofL) partnership, positions both as national exemplars for authentic community involvement with higher education. The purpose of this article is to…

Central to the urban university's academic mission is supporting scholarship that expands knowledge and "service to the state" and local region. Documenting local history is an aspect of scholarship that supports the community directly. This manuscript addresses the role of the urban university in collaborating with community…

Urban African American teens are unprepared to compete for jobs in the global marketplace, but higher education professionals could partner with parents to reverse this trend. After reviewing parent involvement literature, this paper shares findings from a study of urban African American parents involved in their children's outreach programs. It…

This study highlights the narratives of five Latino males from three different postsecondary institutions--a community college, a four-year public state college, and a large private research university--and the impact of their participation in college preparation programs. The data is drawn from a study in which the impact of college preparation…

This article examines the experiences homeless youth face and the influence of social networks on their education. Using a social capital framework, we analyze the experiences that are different for poor youth in general and those homeless. Data used include interviews with 123 homeless youth and more than 40 policymakers, school counselors, and…

Urban colleges and universities not only have a responsibility to engage in activities designed to improve the educational attainment of local urban youth, but also have extensive financial, human, intellectual, and organizational resources that may be directed productively toward this purpose. This article describes the multipronged approach that…

In this paper, I explore the experiences of low-income students in their first semester of college. While much of the literature relating to low-income students focuses on attainment measures, this study uses qualitative tools to better understand students' subjective experiences related to relationships with family, academic self-confidence,…

Higher education institutions have struggled with the underrepresentation of female students in the STEM majors. The authors investigate the USC-MESA program and the role of women's self-efficacy perceptions in mathematics and science. It is crucial to understand the theory of self-efficacy in examining historically underrepresented populations in…

This article explores the development of the Summer Tools, Information, Motivation, and Education (SummerTIME) Writing Program, the only program of its kind in Los Angeles that conducts self-assessment. The author describes the geographical and political boundaries separating inner-city Los Angeles high school graduates from higher education,…

This 2010 winner of the Ernest A. Lynton Award examines two social justice themes that have emerged in his community-engaged work. He argues that the traditional model of the development of the scholars' research agenda is one that can promote and maintain the academy-community hierarchy and that the scholars' social identities play an important…